Author: Upchuck

  • Who Doesn’t Love Running on Concrete?

    One lifted himself out of The Fartsack in the most recent central Florida edition of The Clinic. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the man walking his puppet-sized dog, the following might have happened:

    Leave hotel, turn right to find the path, nope, not there, turn around, proceed about 2 miles on the path, reverso, and BTTVSF. Number, name, and YHC mumbles to himself in front of the hotel.

    Announcements: YHC suggests that now is the time of year to go to Disney. Or, to an indoor call center technology conference.

  • Unseasonably Chilly

    One chose to throw off the warm lure of the Fart Sack at the latest edition of The Clinic. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the driver of the hazardous hospital waste removal truck barreling through the parking lot, the following might have happened.

    Northbound loop. Office park, cross Peters, Office park #2, up to 10th, to 78th, to Federated, to shopping mall parking lot, to Broward, and then reverso BTTVSF.

    NMS: Chillier than usual with game time temp around 58. YHC did neither SSHs nor any ridges.

    Call it 4.5 today. Not terrible, and the running legs are coming back after a fall hiatus.

  • Omega Route

    5 started together, another on his own, and another on his own in the latest edition of Sunday Funday. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the lady walking her dog down by the canal, the following might have happened.

    Route (to keep from damaging trails): North Bank to the stairs. Up to the top. Reverso. Back down the hill, stairs, and slides…back across North Bank to the parking lot…up Love Hill…curl left around The Amphitheater…to the pull up bars…down the Pipeloop…across the road…across the bridge…hard right…to the end of the trail…reverso…back to the Pipeloop, pull up bars, Amphitheater, Love Hill, and the parking lot. That’s one. 3.5 miles.

    YHC did just under 5 total. Other guys did 2 or 3 loops (TBD).

    Anthrax did 14 miles in Forest Hill, but only the ones after daylight count.

    Numbers, names, and there you have it.

  • All Carrot, No Stick

    6 wabbits gathered together and another on his own for the latest edition of the run at Sunday Funday. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the super outgoing young lady who runs with her dog, the following might have happened:

    Three options:

    10 miles with Saab on the roads…launch early to make Libbie Market

    6-ish with Sippy Cup, Helix, and YHC…North Bank, Belle Isle Loop, and North Bank again.

    Almost 7 with Anthrax, Shakedown, and Offshore…North Bank, Buttercrunch, and BTTVSF.

    NMS: Today was a 24-carat experience. Great dudes, good chatter, and great weather.

    YHC has been absent from Sunday Funday for a bit. It’s going to take a few weeks to work back into shape. Parts of today were a slog, but the dangling carrot of pork products, coffee, and biscuits at Libbie Market kept the motivation high.

    Prayers to those whose homes and lives have been impacted by the fires in California.

    Note: TYA has updated his office hours. In a pinch, he is available late evenings on Wednesday for shallow water swimming sessions. No advance booking is required.

  • It’s This, or MABA

    Nine rational, analytical, thinking men challenged themselves to improve in a non-compulsory, burpee-free fashion. Temperatures hovered at 70 and sunny. According to the lone computer worker taking a ten person table at Starbucks’s, the following might have happened.

    Mosey to the basketball courts for the COP.

    SSHs – 4 count x50
    Dead Man Hang
    Fudd’s Wife
    Left leg high, right leg high, right leg + left hand, left leg + right hand, Wilson’s wife, pigeon right, pigeon left
    Roll over for Freddie Mercury
    Flutter kicks
    Inverted Scorpion kicks

    Mosey to the school wall for a triple check.
    Partner 1: run to the fence, Bernie Sanders back x2
    Partner 2: fire hydrants
    Partner 3: V-ups

    Kudos to Circle K (not present) for the exercises.

    Mosey to the picnic tables for Elevens. YHC likes to provide options, so here goes. PAX choice – elevens of pick-your-choice merkins and WWIIs, or 100 burpees, for those who want to Make America Burpee Again (advice to Qs – if there is a monthly challenge that you want to do, then do that challenge, but little sense in making someone else do your challenge). FWIW, 3 men, one injured, chose the challenge…and did 50 burpees. 6 did Elevens.

    Mosey to the parking lot. Line up along the first parking space for 1-2-3’s. Gracias to Senor Frog (not pictured). Pick 3 exercises for the first parking space. Do 1 rep of 1, 2 reps of the second, and 3 reps of the third. Move to the second parking space by a method of your choice. Pick 3 DIFFERENT exercises (no repeats). Continue to the third, fourth, fifth parking spaces, and so forth. The PAX covered about 10 parking spaces.

    Numbers, names, and Lockjaw took the cold call to take us out.

    NMS: Nice to have Pull Out at Mary today. Great to see an old face again. In other news, 52 was enough to take the War Daddy title at Mary today. Has to be the youngest War Daddy at Mary for a while…YHC guesses maybe the youngest WD title for the year. Only 51 Mary’s to go…

    Announcements: VMI grad and solid, long-term PAX member Fudd has the Q at The Bridge on January 25. Jump in the Clown Car with him and head out to help some men grow and get their lives on track.

    Also, not mentioned, but at least one of the guys who graduated last month has a job maintaining equipment at a golf course. Let’s support these guys on their journey.

    Breaking Bread is the last weekend of each month. For those guys who are new-ish, Breaking Bread has been F3RVA’s unofficial, but somewhat official, volunteer activity for roughly 9 years. This is part of our DNA in the community. Over the years, a different PAX member has taken the lead recruiting PAX members to attend (Hardywood, Lab Rat, YHC, and now Oyster have all taken turn owning this over the years). Simple process: PAX member signs up on the Q sheet, then the PAX member(s) make dinner for the guests, usually 8-12 people, at the Southside Medical Respite Clinic. It’s great to stick around, meet a few people, maybe play a board game, watch some TV, or just chat with the guests. This is a super way to have your family help out in the community. Oyster leads our efforts these days. We do this 2x per month, always the fourth weekend, and, if everyone takes a turn, we have a few years of Qs ready to go! Sign up on the Q sheet!

  • Polos and Dockers

    Polos and Dockers

    6, maybe 7, depends how you count it, total studs stopped off on their way home to pick up chicken and work off some pounds in the latest edition of The Punisher. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the waitress at Dot’s Tavern, the following might have happened.

    COP

    SSHs, Hillbillies, Don Quixotes, Dead Man Hang.

    Run the loop, 1.25 laps.

    Line up at the parking signs. YHC felt inspired by Senor Frog. At each sign, we did 1-2-3. One burpee, 2 WWIIs, 3 merkins. Let’s call it 10 signs.

    Mosey over there for the Deck of Death. Here’s the catch: we didn’t have a deck of cards, which is a little bit of a challenge when playing Deck of Death. So, YHC just improvised and called cards of his choice.

    Diamonds: side straddle hops, or hop stride saddles
    Clubs: Monkey humpers
    Hearts: Squats
    Spades: Merkins

    This one will be back.

    Mosey BTTVSF. One round of the squat wave, dealer’s choice.

    Numbers, names, and The Handshake took us out.

    Announcements: Splintervals today.
    January 25, Fudd leading at The Bridge. Other Q’s, please announce this.

    NMS: Kubota and EF Hutton are sharp dressers for work.

  • Thanksgiving

    A bunch of PAX showed up for the 2024 edition of Thanksgiving. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to TYA, the following might have happened.

    From memory…

    …COP…pacing…SSHs…pacing…mumbling about Massachusetts…pacing…mumbling about Berkeley Plantation…some questioning of an unsuspecting PAX member (maybe Fudd?)…pacing…I can’t hear him…can you hear him?…pacing…guys wondering if anyone can hear him…WWIIs…pacing…mumbling…some discussion of rain…pacing…TYA’s got a really big parka…pacing…Pilgrims mentioned…say what you are thankful for…pacing…modern medicine…pacing…saved Kay, which is awesome…pacing…pacing…is that his real skin color?…pacing…he should get that checked…pacing…he has…pacing…doctor says that’s “natural”…pacing…merkins…pacing…let’s mosey…

    …back and forth to the picnic tables…elevens…watch for the sticks…pacing…parka…darkness…rain…pacing…

    …black top…triple check…pacing…Massachusetts…pacing…Virginia only held for one year…pacing…maybe 2 years…pacing…Massachusetts…Swirly’s getting anxious…pacing…did you know the Bruins won the Cup in 1623?…pacing…really? No way…Swirly ready to start running…pacing…as true as anything else said today…pacing…parka…pacing…rain…pacing…Swirly/anxious…pacing…more questions for Fudd…pacing…let’s start the triple check already…pacing…three things are…pacing…balls to the wall, WWIIs…run to the fence…pacing…Bernie Sanders back…pacing…ok, boys…pacing…let’s go…

    …mosey BTTVSF…No Idea who took us out (different guy)…pacing…

    Net outcome…Berkeley first, TYA pacing, upset that Massachusetts second,…real Thanksgiving started with Lincoln (yep, that Lincoln).

    NMS: TYA paces as fast with a parka as he does without a parka. And, he’s super thankful for Kay and modern medicine. Amen.

    Announcements (prospective, as of November): The Bridge on Saturday, November 30th (sets the record for F3RVA attendance!!!).

  • Broadwalk

    Broadwalk

    One pax rolled out of bed, down the hall, down the elevator, and onto the Broadwalk (yep, that’s what they are calling it) for the latest edition of The Clinic. Temperatures were 70 and sunny (+ perfect breeze). According to the 80+ ladies (age is just a number) walking at 5:00, the following might have happened.

    Northbound to the end. Reverso, southbound to the end of the lights. Reverso. BTTVSF. 40 minutes, so let’s call it 4.5. Watch didn’t make the trip.

    Number, name, and YHC took himself out.

    NMS: superb morning to be outside. Florida has its privileges sometimes. Today was one of those sometimes.

    Announcements: last workout of 51. Tomorrow is 52.

  • Baccalaureate

    Baccalaureate

    Nineteen, nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh, nineteen, nineteen warriors of The Gloom stepped forth onto the frozen blacktop of Buckingham in the latest edition of The Bridge. Conditions remained steady at 70 and sunny. According to Mr. Yoder’s extended situational observation report, the following might have happened:

    07:29: pre-game introductions and re-introductions.

    07:30: Let’s mosey, or, as some do, mossy.

    07:31: COP

    Circle up. Disclaimer, mangled. Purpose, mangled. First exercise, SSHs, in cadence, full-throated, no mangling. X52, 4-count.

    Dead man hang. Fudd’s Wife. Right leg high. Left leg high. Wilson’s wife. Fudd’s wife. Pigeon right. Fudd’s wife. Pigeon left. (Don’t say it…don’t say it…ok, we did Fudd’s wife three times in the first 5 minutes. Had to say it.)

    LBCs x52 4-count. Someone has a birthday coming up. Flutter kicks, x20, 4-count. Reverse crunches / gas pumps, x10, 4 count. Rosalita’s, x 10, 4-count. Flip it over.

    HRM’s, x15. Stand up!

    Copperhead squats x10. Monkey humpers, x20.

    Let’s mossy, er, mosey. 1 lap.

    Touch-a-Tree. Rounds of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. Exercises were WWIIs, WWIs, squats, something else, and burpees. “Governor Bush, give me one word that describes your campaign at this point? Strategery.” IYKYK.

    In between rounds, karaoke right, karaoke left for the six / to stave off freezing.

    Let’s mosey. 1 lap.

    Triple Check, Bridge Style. The Bridge is a living construction site in places. Partner 1 did hello dolly. Partner 2 did decline merkins. Partner 3 bear crawled along the spine of the asphalt heap. As Paul Simon sang, “Slip sliding away. Slip sliiidin’ away-yeaah.” Push yourself, don’t hurt yourself.

    In the words of Chum Bucket (not present), “Let’s mosey over here.” If you can, partner up with someone from your region (Charlottesville, The Bridge, Amelia, and RVA). Line up along opposite sides of the rope. Tug-of-War. Us against Them. It’s Our Guys against Those Guys. Round 1: Our Guys. Round 2: Those Guys. Round 3: Those Guys. Final score: Those Guys 2, Our Guys 1. Bonds were built.

    Let’s mosey. 1 lap.

    Circle up. 52, 4-count SSHs, in The Cadence.

    Numbers, names, and OBT took us out with a reminder of what F3 has done for him and for each of us. “Your nickname is your passport” to a world of 100,000 friendships and supporters. Incredible what this group has done for each of us. Thank you, my friend.

    Thank you to Mr. Davis for making the best Folger’s coffee in a styrofoam cup that any human can make. Thank you to Mr. Yoder for literally allowing himself to freeze so the rest of us could exercise together.

    Announcements:

    The Bridge holds graduation tomorrow. May the wind be at the backs of each man who is moving forward on his journey. Keep us and hold us. Find your group, stick together, help each other along. As YHC’s favorite sign says, “Choose to Carry More.”

    NMS:

    Incredible group of men today at The Bridge. YHC was moved by the outpouring of support from F3 Charlottesville, F3 Amelia, and F3RVA. 14 men from those regions joined 5 from The Bridge to make 19 in total…incredible. YHC notes that we missed the record for The Bridge by 1 or 2. November 30 had 15 RVA guys; this week we had 14 from all supporting regions. Let no man say the PAX does not overwhelmingly support this AO. Not for nothing…unless Gridiron comes out of nowhere, and it might, this is the second time in 3 weeks the The Bridge is the biggest Saturday AO! Time to get on board, fellas!

    If you have not yet made it to The Bridge, or if you are looking to run it back, we’ll have another group coming out soon. Look on Slack for details. LG!

    Also, great to catch up for some home cooking, hot coffee, and Halloween 2025 tattoo ideas at The Cumberland, home to the World Famous Bologna Burger. It’s worth the stop.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • 12 Minutes to 6

    One dashing hee-man launched at 5 to get in 5 in the latest edition of The Clinic. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the DHL workers “meeting at 6 in the lobby,” the following might have happened:

    Northbound, over Peters, parallel to University, left, north, then reverso at Broward, and BTTVSF. 5 or so.

    Number, name, and YHC took himself out with a prayer for leaders who support their teams with actual actions. Actions speak loudly; words fill empty space.

    Announcements:

    Breaking Bread this weekend needs a Q. Check the sheet. 5:30 p.m. at Southside Medical Respite. Make dinner for about 8-12 people. This has been F3RVA’s overarching volunteer event for about 8 years. New guys…this is your opportunity to give of your time and effort to support folks who are struggling with a medical issue (and often with financial issues that have them on the streets). See Oyster for details.

    Convergence on Thanksgiving at 45MOM. Be there. 7:00 a.m. TYA has the lead to lead a satirical Q on the history of Thanksgiving.

    The Bridge…November 30…Heist and Hermes leading the charge. This is an F3RVA activity done in coordination with F3 Charlottesville. Workout starts at 7:30 a.m. These guys are transitioning from the criminal system to the free world. Let’s support them along their journey back to the right path. Usually leave about 6 a.m., return by 10:30.

    For that matter, December 14, The Bridge returns again. YHC and OBT heading west to lead the charge. Clown cars forming now.

    NMS: DHL has a ton of folks who stay in this hotel. Their plan, at least on the way up the elevator last evening at 9:00 p.m., was to “meet in the lobby at 6.” Apparently, DHL gets after it. 5:48 a.m. those same folks were rolling out the front door. I believe Gomer Pyle would say, “Get some!”